LaChiusa's FIRST DAUGHTER SUITE Cast Album Now Available in Stores

Ghostlight Records has released the original cast recording of the world premiere musical FIRST DAUGHTER SUITE - written by Michael John LaChiusa and directed by Kirsten Sanderson - online and in stores today, Frida­­y, April 1. The album was released in digital formats on Friday, February 26.

The show, which imagines the inner lives and dreams of America's best-known daughters, was just nominated for three 2016 Lucille Lortel Awards, including both Alison Fraser and Mary Testa for "Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical." When FIRST DAUGHTER SUITE opened last fall at The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham), it was named a "Critics' Pick" from The New York Times, "a little masterpiece" from The Wall Street Journal, "insightful and layered" by Newsweek and "sublime" by New York Magazine. The two disc CD contains a 12-page booklet with color photos, a special essay by Oskar Eustis and a synopsis by Michael John LaChiusa and Kirsten Sanderson. In addition to the opening track now streaming, the song "Daughters Of" is also available to stream here. The album is produced by Joel Moss, Kurt Deutsch and Michael John LaChiusa. To order, please visit: sh-k-boom.com/first-daughter-suite.

This recording marks The Public's ninth album in collaboration with Ghostlight Records, including the previously released Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Hair, See What I Wanna See, Giant, A Second Chance, Venice, Love's Labour's Lost and The Fortress of Solitude. This is also the label's sixth album with Michael John LaChiusa (Giant, Queen of the Mist, See What I Wanna See, Bernarda Alba, and Little Fish).

The complete cast of FIRST DAUGHTER SUITE featured Alison Fraser (Nancy Reagan, Betty Ford); Rachel Bay Jones (Laura Bush, Rosalynn Carter); Caissie Levy (Patti Davis, Julie Nixon); Theresa McCarthy (Robin Bush, Hannah Nixon); Betsy Morgan (Tricia Nixon, Susan Ford); Isabel Santiago (Anita Castelo); Carly Tamer (Amy Carter); Mary Testa (Barbara Bush); and Barbara Walsh (Pat Nixon).

Tony Award nominee Michael John LaChiusa created this funny and moving follow-up to his 1993 Public musical First Lady Suite. A historical fantasia in four parts, FIRST DAUGHTER SUITE follows Patricia Nixon and daughters Tricia and Julie, Rosalynn and Amy Carter, Betty and Susan Ford, Patti Davis and mom Nancy Reagan, and Barbara Bush and daughter-in-law Laura as they strive to live meaningful lives in the public eye, while dealing with the complex private relationships all of us face with our parents and children. Directed by Kirsten Sanderson, this wholly captivating new musical with a lush, sweeping score is a deeply felt new work about mothers, daughters and the surprising discoveries we make about one another as we grow.

FIRST DAUGHTER SUITE featured scenic design by Scott Pask, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Tyler Micoleau, sound design by Ken Travis, and hair and wig design by Robert-Charles Vallance. Orchestrations are by Michael Starobin and Bruce Coughlin.

MICHAEL JOHN LACHIUSA (Book, Music and Lyrics)'s credits for The Public include Giant, See What I Wanna See, The Wild Party (Tony noms., Best Score and Best Book with George C. Wolfe), The Petrified Prince, First Lady Suite. His additional credits include Queen of the Mist; Los Otros; Bernarda Alba; The Highest Yellow; Little Fish; Marie Christine (Tony noms., Best Score and Best Book); Chronicle of a Death Foretold (Tony nom., Best Book with Graciela Daniele/Jim Lewis); Hello Again; Break/Agnes/Eulogy for Mister Hamm. Operas: Send (who are you? I love you), Houston Grand Opera; Lovers and Friends (Chautauqua Variations), Lyric Opera of Chicago. Additionally, his musical Rain will premiere at the Old Globe in San Diego in the Spring of 2016. He is the Obie Award winner and recipient of the Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Musical Theater Award. Composer for The Wonder Pets, two Emmy Awards. Additionally he has written special material for Neil Patrick Harris and Hugh Jackman for the Tony Awards and Hugh Jackman on Broadway. Current faculty of NYU.

KIRSTEN SANDERSON (Director) has directed new plays by Michael John LaChiusa, Craig Lucas, Shel Silverstein, Steven Schwartz and Blake Edwards, among others. Her work has been seen at Playwright's Horizons, The Public, PS 122, Circle Rep, Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Director's Company, Sundance Theatre Lab, The Blank Theatre Company, Theatreworks USA, The Women's Project, HBO Comedy Arts Festival, New York Fringe Festival, New York Music Theatre Festival, Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and Town Hall. Previous collaborations with LaChiusa include the original production of First Lady Suite at The Public; Eulogy for Mr. Hamm/Break/Agnes/Lucky Nurse at Playwrights Horizons; Little Fish and Sukie and Sue: Their Story at the Blank Theatre in Hollywood; as well as numerous outings in the Marathon at Ensemble Studio Theatre.

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